Average power rating of opponents played: WISCONSIN 30.8, MICHIGAN 36.2

SCHEDULE AND RESULTS

WISCONSIN - Season Results

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Team Stats

Opp Stats

Date

Opponent

Score

SU

Line

ATS

Tot.

O/U

Rushing

Passing

TO

Rushing

Passing

TO

8/31/2018

W KENTUCKY

34-3

W

-35.5

L

52

U

39-234

17-31-257

1

34-124

17-30-181

2

9/8/2018

NEW MEXICO

45-14

W

-36

L

58

O

59-417

9-13-151

2

30-77

14-24-134

3

9/15/2018

BYU

21-24

L

-23.5

L

53

U

43-204

18-28-190

1

28-191

13-23-120

0

9/22/2018

@ IOWA

28-17

W

-3

W

44

O

44-210

17-22-205

0

31-148

14-23-256

3

10/6/2018

NEBRASKA

41-24

W

-18.5

L

59.5

O

48-370

13-24-163

1

24-111

26-44-407

1

10/13/2018

@ MICHIGAN

10/20/2018

ILLINOIS

10/27/2018

@ NORTHWESTERN

11/3/2018

RUTGERS

11/10/2018

@ PENN ST

MICHIGAN - Season Results

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Team Stats

Opp Stats

Date

Opponent

Score

SU

Line

ATS

Tot.

O/U

Rushing

Passing

TO

Rushing

Passing

TO

9/1/2018

@ NOTRE DAME

17-24

L

-3

L

48.5

U

33-58

24-36-249

2

47-132

12-22-170

1

9/8/2018

W MICHIGAN

49-3

W

-27.5

W

56

U

35-308

13-18-143

0

40-123

16-34-85

1

9/15/2018

SMU

45-20

W

-36.5

L

55

O

41-197

14-18-237

1

31-110

19-34-209

1

9/22/2018

NEBRASKA

56-10

W

-17.5

W

53.5

O

45-285

18-31-206

1

30-39

13-24-93

2

9/29/2018

@ NORTHWESTERN

20-17

W

-14.5

L

46.5

U

42-180

15-24-196

0

34-28

16-29-174

0

10/6/2018

MARYLAND

42-21

W

-17.5

W

44.5

O

40-171

20-28-294

1

37-147

7-13-73

1

10/13/2018

WISCONSIN

10/20/2018

@ MICHIGAN ST

11/3/2018

PENN ST

11/10/2018

@ RUTGERS

KEY GAME INFORMATION

WISCONSIN: The Badgers return nearly every key contributor on offense this year, which means star running back Jonathan Taylor will once again run behind one of the nation's best offensive lines. And with a good quarterback in Alex Hornibrook under center, the Badgers should have one of the conference's most well-balanced'and dare we say explosive'offenses. Uncharacteristically, defense is a relative question mark for the Badgers this year, but an incredibly soft early-season schedule will allow the inexperienced unit to ease into things. And Wisconsin has always been a next-man-up program, so it should be just fine with head coach Paul Chryst and defensive coordinator Jim Leonhard in charge. This Wisconsin team is thinking College Football Playoff or bust.

MICHIGAN: While some might not want to admit it, Jim Harbaugh's return to Michigan hasn't yet yielded the desired results. The Wolverines haven't made it to a Big Ten Championship Game, and they also haven't beaten the Buckeyes. But this could be the year that changes. Ole Miss transfer QB Shea Patterson is now the face of this Michigan program, and he put up some impressive numbers as a freshman in the SEC. The Wolverines also have a great group of pass-catchers, as Grant Perry, Donovan Peoples-Jones, Eddie McDoom and Tarik Black are all capable of making big plays. Michigan is also stacked on defense, as DT Rashan Gary is a stud and the secondary is tough to beat. Ohio State might be the favorite to win the conference, but Michigan represents some serious value for futures bettors.

PREVIEW

No. 12 Michigan faces stern test in No. 15 Wisconsin

Let what has been the most talked about stretch of the season commence for No. 12 Michigan.

All offseason, people looked at Michigan's first six games of the season and figured it would post a 5-1 or 6-0 mark, given the only real test was the opener at Notre Dame.

The Wolverines couldn't get it done against the Fighting Irish, but have reeled off five straight wins and now enter what figures to be their season-defining stretch -- starting with a home contest against No. 15 Wisconsin at Michigan Stadium.

Following the game against the Badgers, Michigan will play at rival Michigan State before hosting No. 8 Penn State on Nov. 3.

"I think they are really excited for this game," Wolverines head coach Jim Harbaugh said. "They are focused on getting their preparation down."

Michigan comes in full of confidence, having blown out Maryland, 42-21, to win its fifth straight.

Skeptics will point out that beating Western Michigan, SMU, Nebraska, Northwestern and Maryland isn't much of a reason to jump for joy, but Wisconsin will provide a great measuring stick of how much Michigan has improved since the season-opening loss at Notre Dame.

Michigan enters with the nation's No. 1-ranked defense in total yards allowed, but know that Wisconsin's pounding ground game led by running back Jonathan Taylor poses a challenge it hasn't this year.

Taylor has already rushed for 849 yards and eight touchdowns on 126 carries this season as he rapidly approaches the 1,000-yard plateau.

"Taylor is a really good player," Harbaugh said. "What kind of problems to they pose? They're threats at any time to make one of those (big) plays."

Wisconsin enters on a two-game winning streak following a disheartening 24-21 home loss to BYU on Sept. 15 that many feel already cost the Badgers a shot at making the College Football Playoff.

But following a gut-check road win at Iowa on Sept. 22, beating a ranked squad like Michigan on the road would be a big step toward restoring Wisconsin's status as a playoff contender.

"We are excited and looking forward to this week's preparation," Chryst said. "It was fun getting with the players (on Monday) and getting this week going."

Wisconsin junior quarterback Alex Hornibrook, who has completed 64 percent of his passes (73 of 114) for 963 yards and seven touchdowns, is also a passing threat to complement Taylor, but Chryst knows it will be a whole different challenge facing Michigan's defense.

"I think they do a great job of the design of (their defense,)" Chryst said. "They have a really good scheme and they have talented football players. They trust it, they trust themselves and they are playing really well right now."

When Michigan has the ball, it will be a matchup of a surging Wolverines' offense against what's been a vulnerable Wisconsin defense.

Michigan transfer quarterback Shea Patterson has been everything the Wolverines have hoped for so far, completing 68.8 percent of his passes (95 of 138) and throwing 10 touchdown strikes, already more than the Wolverines had all year.